Process of pickling and apparatus therefor



Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,549

R. F. HENDERSHOT PROCESS OF PICKLING AND APPAFIATUS THEREFOR Filed June 2'7, 192]. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .l .117%

Feb. 24, 1925.

R. F. HENDERSHOT PROCESS OF PICKLING AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed June 27; 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig-3.

Q 0 O O O D O n Q Q 0 O O 0 Q Paitented Feb. 24, 1925. I

-- UNITED STATES PATENT-F F ICE.

ROBERT HENDERSHOT, OF WEST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GAR- LAND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WEST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROCESS OF PICKLING AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

Application filed June 27, 1921. Serial No. 480,553.

To allwhomitmg concern: Be it known that I, Roemrr F. HENDER- SHOT a citizen of the United States, residing at est Pittsburgh, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Process of Pickling and Apparatus Therefor, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description; I

My invention relates to the process of pickling and apparatus therefor and is particularly applicable to the pickling of pipe,

rods, bars and sheets.

An object of my invention is such a device which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

A further-object of my invention is such a device wherein the articles being treated are alternately immersed in the pickling solution and exposed to the atmosphere.

A further object of my invention is such a device wherein the basket for the articlesbeing treated may be removed from the container for the pickling solution and another basket placed in position in the. container without the necessity of loading the articles being treated in the basket in place.

A further object of my invention is such a device wherein the necessary oxidation may be secured without the necessity of bubbling air or steam through the solution.

Further objects of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description in connection with the drawings illustrating one form of my invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line IIII of Figure 4;

a Figure 3 is a side elevation;

Fi re 4 is a sectional view on the line IV V of Figure 1; and

Figures 5 and 6 are detail views.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises a container 1 for the pickling solution; This container may be of any desired shape but is preferably provided with a false bottom 2 so that a smaller amount of solution may be used.

The container 1 is provided on its sides with journals 3, which carry a shaft 4 from which is suspended a basket for containing the articles under treatment. This basket nalle comprises a longitudinal member 5 in the ends of which are fastened the shafts 6. These shafts carry 'U-shaped members 7. At the lower end of each of the members 7 is an inwardly extending horizontal flange 8, upon whlch rest the ends of the pipes 9. A perforated plate 10 is placed in each of the members 7 so as to prevent the pipes 9 or other articles from sliding longitudinally whenthe basket is oscillated as hereinafter explained. In order toprevent themembers 7 from spreading apart at the bottom and allowing the pipes or other articles to fall out of the basket, tie rods 11 are provided, one end of each of which is fastened to the members 7 by any suitable arrangement such as passing through an opening 12, as shown in detail in Figure 5. The tie rods 11 have the function of holding the members 7 at substantially fixed distance from each other.

The shaft 4 has one member of a couphn g; 13 thereon, as shown in Figures '1 and 4. he other member of the coupling 13 is connected with a shaft 14. The shaft 14 has a crank 15 fastened thereto. Attached to the crank is a link 16 which is connected at its other end to a crank 17 which is fastened onto a power shaft 18 operated by any suitable ower device. The shaft 18 is jour- The shaft 14 has a similar coupling member on the other end thereof which cooperates with a member on a second shaft 4 to constitute the coupling 20. The structure of the two tanks and baskets shown in Figure 4 is identical and the preceding description of one of them is sufficient for both.

The couplings 13 and 20 are operated by the levers 21 and 22, respectively. Any form of coupling may be used.

The longitudinal member 5 is provided with means 23, such as eye bolts, so that the basket containing the articles under treat ment may be removed with the articles therein by lifting the same out of the open journals r The container may be of any desired construction and of any suitable material and the basket may be operated by any mechanism other than the specific arrangement shown.

, The operation of my invention is as follows The container is filled with pickling solution to'the desired point, and by reason of the false bottom the desired depth of solution may be secured with a minimum amount thereof.

A basket containing the articles to be treated is then placed in position, the arrangement preferably being such that the solution covers all of the articles in the hasket when the basketis standing in the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, that is to say, horizontally. In the pickling of pipe or other articles, it is necessary in order to get the maximum benefit of the pickling solution to subject the articles to an oxidizing environment. This is accomplished in my process and apparatus by moving the basket around the shaft 4 so that the ends of the pipes are alternately submerged and exposed to the atmosphere. This operation not only subjects the articles alternately to the pickling solution and atmosphere but agitates the solution so that a considerable amount of air is entrained in and absorbed by the solution, as a result of which the maximum chemical reaction and pickling is secured. v The apparatus for moving the basket is the power shaft .18 and the connections 15, 16 and 17, which will be clearly understood from Figures 1, 3 and 4. A clutch or coupling mechanism is provided so that each of the connections 15, 16 and 17 may operate two baskets either simul taneously or at separate times. As soon as the pickling process of the articles in one of the baskets is completed, the clutch is thrown out of engagement and that basket may be liftedout of the solution container by a crane or other suitable means. Another basket containing similar or other articles may then be substituted and the process repeated, it being observed that-a basket may be loaded with articles While the articles in another basket are being treated, so that maximum efliciency and production are secured from each pickling container.

While I have shown a basket arranged for containing pipe, it will be understood that a basket of any suitable construction may be employed for holding pipe or any other article to be subjected to the pickling process.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the solution not only effectively pickles the outside of the pipe, but by reason of the fact that the ends of the pipe are alternately lowered and raised, the solution moves rapidly through the interior of the pipe and therefore effectively treats the inside also.

This effective treatment is accomplished without any special means for incorporating air into the solution as is necessary in many pickling processes as used heretofore.

My invention has many advantages, among which are that the device is simple and inexpensive; that the spent pickle in contact with a stationary article is replaced by live pickling solution; that attrition or scouring is resent by reason of the flow of the pickling solution over and through the ipes, or other articles bein treated; that 0th a chemical and mechanlcal action are produced on the surface being treated; that the necessary oxidizing agent is given access to the articles; that the basket containing the articles to be treated may be readily placed in position and removed and therefore loaded and unloaded at the proper points for those operations with the result that greater efficiency and greater production may be secured.

Many other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art and need not be recited here.

I claim:

1. A pickling device comprising a solution tank, a basket journaled on the sides of the tank and adapted to receive lengthwise thereofthe articles to be pickled, and means for moving the basket to dip itsends alternately into solution in said tank to produce a movement of the solution lengthwise of the articles.

2. A pickling apparatus comprising a plurality of solution tanks, a pivoted basket for each tank, means connecting said baskets for operating said baskets simultaneously, and means for disconnecting either of said baskets from said operating means while operating the other.

3. The process of pickling pipe which consists in alternately dipping the ends of the pipe into a pickling solution and allowing the solution to run through the pipe.

4. The process of picklin pipe, which comprises submerging the en s of a pipe alternately in a pickling bath and raising the ends thereof alternately out of the bath to allow the pickling fluid to run through the pipe first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

5. The process of pickling pipe, which comprises imparting a mechanical cleaning action to the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipe by flowing the pickling fluid through and around the pipe during the treatment while alternately exposing por tions of the pipe to the atmosphere and submerging such portions in the pickling fluid.

6. The process of pickling pipe, which comprises producing a turning movement of a pipe about a transverse axis to cause a flow of the pickling fluid through the pi e.

7. In a pickling device, a container or the pickling solution, means for supporting therein the articles to be pickled, and means for periodicall raisin portions of the articles above the ath in t e container and then submerging the same in said bath.

8. In a picklin device, a container for the pickling solution, means for supporting therein the articles to be pickled, and means for periodically raising one end of the articles above the bath in the container and then submerging the same in the bath to produce a flow of pickling fluid together with entrained air lon itudinally of the articles.

9. In a picking device, a container for the pickling solution, means for su porting therein below the level of the pickling fluid the articles to be pickled, and means for alternately raising certain portions of the articles above the level of the bath and then submerging the same in the bath.

10. In a pickling apparatus, a container, an article basket comprising a support journalled on said container, members pivotally depending from said support, means pivotally connected to the lower ends of said members for holding said members in fixed relation to each other, and means carried by said pivoted members for holding the articles under treatment.

11. In the art of pickling, the step consisting in alternately submerging portions of the articles in a pickling solution and then exposing said portions-to the atmosphere in continuous succession.

12. Pickling apparatus for pipe, comprising a pickling bath,'a basket adapted to receive lengthwise thereof the pipe to be pickled, means for supporting said basket for oscillation about atransverse axis, and means for oscillating said basket to alternately dip the opposite end portions of the pipe 1nto the bath and raise such portions out of the bath.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT F. I-IENDERSHOI. 

